Finally getting started

I have finally stoped procrastinating and gotten on with starting to reload.

After umming and ahhing for a while over where I was actually going to do the work I got to it.

The options for work spaces were:
1. In the new shed out the back.
2. On a fold up table in one of the main rooms of the house
3. Down in the garage.

Problems:
1. New shed was more of a garden shed, had no bench, no lighting and I guess it would have been freezing in winter and boiling in summer.
2. I could not find a fold up work bench any where, and for some reason my olds were not keen on the idea of me reloading inside the main house
3. The garage has a good, if old bench that was covered in all kinds of sh*t form the years it has been down there, poor electric lighting, no natural light over the bench. The coastal air gets in around the top of the roller door and could cause corrosion.

In the end I went with option 3.

After clearing the bench of the assorted crap on it I removed the existing light fitting and replaced it. I was able to score a twin fluoro light fitting from work that was pretty much new but had been replaced with a different type, and I got some great tri phosphor tubes that are ultra bright as well.

I then got out the power drill and put two 5/8 holes in it for the 12mm bolts I had "borrowed" from the fitters bolt cabinet at work (gotta love half the stuff being imperial, and the other half metric) and bolted my press down.

I remove the press after I am finished using it every time and put it in a cupboard in my room for storage to prevent the sea air getting to it. I am also looking at setting up a sound system in there made up out of an old car CD player/radio tuner instead of moving my radio every time.

Any way I set myself up down there today and I just familiarised myself with case prep and neck sizing.

I took 20 pieces of once fired Highland brass and cleaned them with a rag and vinegar to get the black stuff (powder residue?) off the outside of the case mouth. I then inspected for splits and cracks in the mouth and found none.

I then deprimed and neck sized the brass with a Lee collet die. I then cleaned the primer pockets and chamfered the case mouths.

I was going to make up a few dummy rounds with 150 groin hollow points but I then realised that I had no callipers so I stopped and decided to post this.

Any way here is a pic of my setup

Excellent press I have a older version of that. The paint on mine is dull red and faded from years of use. That press will last you several life times if taken care of.

yep Hatchetman, you pay for what you get

No we don't use blocks for the powder we use scales! Weigh the powder into the case then place it in a separate block . On the right you have a block of primed cases on the left you have cases you have filled with powder.

Ok I had a bit more of a play around at my reloading bench this afternoon and I made up 5 dummy rounds.

I have used Taipan 150 grn Hollow Points and I made them up at a few different lengths:

77.62mm (3.055 in)
77.37mm (3.046 in)
77.21mm (3.038 in)

I am looking at loading a few rounds in the next day or two. What length would you all recommend for me to load at?

I am leaning towards 77.37mm as they had a little more room in the magazine, although they all fed well when cycling them through.

 

If the length of the bullet allows me to do this while staying within the max OAL then I'll usually seat so that the base of the bullet is just at the end of the neck of the case.

Good strong press and it appears you have a stout bench for it. I used the same sort of set up until my son in law built me a stand for my press. He used a 13" tire rim for a base and welded a pipe to it with a plate on top for mounting my press to. It works ok. A bench is stouter but at least I can move it out of the way when I'm done.

I will be picking up some AR209 with my 243 dies dave!

I ended up going out orange way (see my Lithgow small arms museum post) for a bit of camping and armed bushwalking on the remaining two days of the long weekend, and I stopped over at horsley park gun shop for a look.

I picked up 100 Hornady 95 grain SST pills for the 243 while I was out there and a new cleaning rod after my last one decided to get all bendy on me.

I will be playing with a 95 grn SST over a stiff charge of AR 2209 (will work up) in remmy cases with a CCI large rifle primer for the 243.

I was suprised when I got to Horsley park, I have not seen a gun shop so full, and bloody hell they had a big (for Australia) range of all types of stock. Good to see for a change